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	Director, Operational Test & Evaluation
FY97 Annual Report

GRIZZLY

	Army ACAT II Program 366 systems Total program cost (thenyr$) $3108M Average unit cost (thenyr$) $7.4M Full-rate production 1QFY03 Prime Contractor United Defense Limited Partnership

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION & CONTRIBUTION TO JOINT VISION 2010

The GRIZZLY is an armored vehicle designed to breach complex obstacles including mines, berms, wire, rubble, and tank-ditches. The GRIZZLY will breach obstacles with minimal preparation creating safe lanes for other vehicles in the dominant maneuver force with little or no loss in momentum. The GRIZZLY's obstacle clearing features include a full-width mine-clearing blade and a powered, extensible excavating arm. Based on a modified Abrams M1 hull, the GRIZZLY will employ armors and many components derived from various members of the Abrams family of tanks. The system employs a two man crew. Its mobility will be comparable to the Abrams Main Battle Tank and the Bradley Fighting Vehicle. The dominant maneuver force will support the GRIZZLY with ongoing direct and indirect fire and air support. The GRIZZLY will be deployed with selected engineer companies in mechanized battalions, armored cavalry regiments, and heavy brigades.

The GRIZZLY program, due to its funding threshold, was not required to undergo operational test oversight from this office. However, this system does qualify for LFT&E oversight.

Following a significant increase in the GRIZZLY program's procurement objective to the currently planned 366 units, the Army's Acquisition Executive notified OSD that the Army designated the GRIZZLYprogram an ACAT II program and a covered system for LFT&E in June 1996. The GRIZZLY was added to the FY97 Annual T&E Oversight List for LFT&E only. This program is not an operational test and evaluation oversight program. The Army briefed a draft LFT&E strategy to DOT&E in April 1996 and received DOT&E approval of a revised strategy in December 1996. Dedicated LFT&E events begin in FY98 and extend through FY01.

There has been one GRIZZLY test event supporting the LFT&E program during FY97. Testing conducted prior to this most recent effort consisted of developmental and demonstration/validation testing only. That testing, although generating valuable information for the product manager, did not provide relevant data for the LFT&E. A full-up, system-level test employing a prototype chassis was subjected to a mine detonation during FY97. This test challenged a mine clearing blade system that had been redesigned based on FY96 developmental test results. Future LFT&E events include the following:

Ballistic System Structure tests: December 1998 through July1999

Prototype Full-up, System-level tests: October 1999 through August 2000

Production Representative Full-up, System-level tests: September 2000 through June 2001

A Milestone III decision is scheduled for June 2002.

The redesigned mine clearing blade system survived the mine detonation and did perform in accordance with engineering expectations.